The points of issue
First edition, published anonymously, James Munroe & Co., Boston, 1836 (BAL 5181); small format, approximately 95 pages, in cloth or boards, published 9 September 1836. The recognized first-state point is the pagination error: page 94 is misnumbered as page 92 in the earliest state, corrected to 94 in a later state. The 1836 title page bears no author attribution (some surviving copies have 'By Ralph Waldo Emerson' added later in pencil by another hand). BAL notes that some copies have a half title with no priority established. The motto is the prose quotation attributed to Plotinus.
Is this the true first?
US true first, 1836, published anonymously. Emerson's foundational essay, first printing about 1,500 copies. The second edition (1849) drops the Plotinus prose motto and substitutes Emerson's own six-line verse beginning 'A subtle chain of countless rings.'
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1849 and later printings change the epigraph (Plotinus prose replaced by Emerson's own verse) and add author attribution; the genuine first is the anonymous 1836 Munroe issue with the Plotinus motto, ideally in the earliest state with page 94 misnumbered as 92.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Nature a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition, published anonymously, James Munroe & Co., Boston, 1836 (BAL 5181); small format, approximately 95 pages, in cloth or boards, published 9 September 1836. The recognized first-state point is the pagination error: page 94 is misnumbered as page 92 in the earliest state, corrected to 94 in a later state. The 1836 title page bears no author attribution (some surviving copies have 'By Ralph Waldo Emerson' added later in pencil by another hand). BAL notes that some copies have a half title with no priority established. The motto is the prose quotat
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US true first, 1836, published anonymously. Emerson's foundational essay, first printing about 1,500 copies. The second edition (1849) drops the Plotinus prose motto and substitutes Emerson's own six-line verse beginning 'A subtle chain of countless rings.'
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 1849 and later printings change the epigraph (Plotinus prose replaced by Emerson's own verse) and add author attribution; the genuine first is the anonymous 1836 Munroe issue with the Plotinus motto, ideally in the earliest state with page 94 misnumbered as 92.
I have a first edition of Nature — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.